NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute for FY 2012 in Japan

Walsh Laura, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds Laura Aiko Michelle Walsh of the University of California, San Francisco to conduct a research project, entitled "Broadening cell sheet tissue engineering," during the summer of 2012 at Tokyo Women's Medical University in Tokyo, Japan. The host scientist is Dr. Teruo Okano. The Intellectual Merit of the research project is elucidating the determinants of successful cell attachment and detachment from the polymer poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM), a thermoresponsive polymer that is used to grow and detach an intact sheet of cells. This polymet has major applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine but is also useful in learning about basic mechanisms in cell biology because different cell types and species have different behavior on this polymer. Therefore, understanding the parameters of successful cell adhesion and detachment are very important to elucidating the basic mechanism of cell behavior on the polymer, as well as broadening the clinical applicability to previously incompatible cell types. Broader Impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce.